Seal for rotating shafts



Y 1937- e. E. BIGELOW E AL SEAL FOR ROTATING SHAFTS Filed July 20, 1956 'lll l' 2/ a4 70 .35 ea 34 fNl/ENTORS GEORGE E. B/GEL AR THUR R. WE 5 Y A T TO RNE Y.

Patented July 20, 192.7 l i I 2,087,313

IUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v SEAL FOB ROTATING SHAFTS George E. Bigelow, Southgate, and Arthur R. Weis, Huntington Park, CaliL, assignors of onehalf to Pacific Pump Works, Huntington Park, Calif., a. corporation of California Application July 20, 1936, Serial No. 91,516

3 Claims. (Cl. 286-9) Our invention relates to a sealing device espe- Further objects and advantages of the invencially adapted for use around a shaft which protion will be made evident throughout the foljects from a chamber or device containing a liquid lowing part of the specification.

under high pressure and having substances there- Referring to the drawing, which is for illusin which tend to deposit when the liquid is subtrative purposes only,

stantially without movement or agitation. Fig. 1 is a partly sectioned view of a hot oil The invention is especially useful in high pres pump, showing the preferred manner of use of sure oil pumps of the character employed to pump the invention. hot oils from one stage of a refining process to Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a preanother. superheated fluids, such as hot oil ferred. form of the sealing device disclosed in 10 at high pressure, are found to be relatively de- Fig. 1.

structi've to packing materials employed at the Fig. 3 is across section on a plane representhigh pressure ends of hot oil pumps, and accorded by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

ingly it is customary to form a separate pressure Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged section of chamber between the high pressure stage of the the area of Fig. 2 enclosed by the dotted line 4 15 pump and the packing device through which the therein.

pump shaft extends to the exterior, this chamber In Fig. 1 of h r w n W h w a h Pr being connected to the intake of the pump so that sure hot oil pump l0 having a throttle or sealing the pressure therein, and likewise the fluid presdevice ll disposed between the high pressure zone sure exerted on the packing device, will be much or space l2 of the pump 10 and a low pressure lower than the discharge pressure of the pump, space or pressure relieving chamber I4 formed and therefore the packing device will not be adjacent the inner end of a packing device I5 of subjected to the severe working conditions encustomary form having rings of packing material countered where the pressure reducing chamber l6 compressed by a gland I]. When the pump is not employed between the high pressure stage III is in operation, the hot oil in the space i2 25 of the pump and the packing device. As shown exists under the same pressure as the oil disin the Weis et a1. Patent No. 2,007,414, a flow charged through the outlet 20 of the pump. This restricting device or throttle valve may be empressure in some instances may be as high as 2000 ployed around the shaft where it passes from the Pounds P Square inch. and the Packing device high pressure space or stage of the pump to the I5, to seal against such pressure. w h v to 30 above mentioned pressure releasing chamber. be kept continuously tight, with the result that This throttle valve has a sealing part of annular there would be a rapid weal 0f the packing rings character whichoperates' in balanced condition O e c the liquid Pressure o Which the in an annular chamber and is accordingly auto- P c v c 5 is Subjected, the P s ure rematically adjusted to an intermediate position lieving p ce is connected by means of P p g 35 so that the wear on the valve-forming portions 2| w the intake Space 22 0f the P p eor faces of this sealing part will be practically y reducing he pr ssure in the space I4 to the eliminated owing to the fact that there is a masame pressure a exists in the Space 22. which terial film of oil across these faces during the ay b 200 Pounds P Square inch 0 55. operation of the pump. It is found that this form As best shown in Fig. 2, the sealing device ll 0 of throttle valve operates substantially without comprises a rotary part 23 which is preferably in friction and without wear so. long as the annular the form of a sleeve mounted on the shaft 24 of sealing part referred to does not become fixed or the pump and held in place against a collar 25 cemented to one of the parts cooperating thereon the shaft 24 by means of a sleeve 26 which with as the result. of the deposit of carbon may be threaded on the shaft 24 and may pass 45 from hot oil. through the packing device l5, as shown in Fig. 1.

It is an object of our present invention to pro- In the form of the device shown, the rotary part vide an improvement in a throttle valve of the 23 has a cylindrical face 21 oi. large diameter adabove character having parts so formed that a jacent the front end 28 thereof, it being assumed small flow of fluid is at all times conducted that the front end of this member 23 and the through the spaces where carbon tends to deposit, front end of each other part of the device to thereby practically preventing the deposit of carhe now described is that end thereof which faces bon which will cement one of the cooperating or is disposed toward the zone of high pressure' parts to another so that a free and automatic fluid against which the throttle or sealing deadjustment thereof cannot take place. vice is to act, namely, the space l2 of the pump 55 ill. The rotary member 23 has a cylindrical face of relatively small diameter disposed toward the rearward end 3| thereof, and accordingly toward the low pressure'zone formed by the space M of the pump Ill. The relatively large and small cylindrical faces 21 and 36 are connected at substantially' the center of the member 23 by an intermediate annular face 32 which may be conical as shown.

In a position overlapping the rotary part 23, and preferably substantially surrounding, the same, is a stationarymember '33 having a body 34 with a counterbore 35 facing forwardly therein, there being a ring 36 secured to the leftward or forward part of the body 34 by screws 31, the inner portion 38 of the ring or plate 36 extending across the leftward or forward end of the countterbore 35 so as to provide a front end face or wall 40 for the counterbore or recess 35. The rightward or rearward end of the body 34 has a bore 4| which fits relatively closely around the small cylindrical face 36 of the rotary part 23 and is consequently offsmaller diameter than the opening 42 through the ring 36. The rear endwall'43 of the-recess 35 is accordingly of greater radial dimension than the front'end wall 40 of the recess.

The body 34 preferably has a flange 44 with openings 45 therein through which the screws 31 may be passed for the purpose of holding the sealing device II in an opening 56 in the dividing wall 5| between the high pressure space 2 and the pressure relieving space M of the pump l0. Within the recess 35 and around the intermediate portion of the rotary part 23, an axially elongated sealing ring 56 is placed; this sealing ring 56 having a bore 51 at its leftward or forward end corresponding to but slightly" greater than the diameter of the cylindrical face 21 of the rotary part 23, and-having a bore 58 at its rearward or rightward end corresponding in diameter to the bore 4| of the body 34. The bores 51 and 58 of the ring member 56 are connected by a sloping annular face 60 which is spaced rightwardly from the annular face 32 of the member 23 when the parts of the sealingdeviceare disposed in their normal operating positions as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

To minimize leakage of fluid through the interior of the ring member 56, a packing means is employed, such packing means consisting of a metal piston ring 6| mounted in a groove formed in one of the cooperating members 23 or 56, such groove being-preferably the groove 62 I shown in the part 23 and being preferably interthe ring member 56, the ring member 56 will be mediate the ends the part 23. chamber rightwardly into the leftward end of the bore.5'|. A portion of this high pressure fluid passes into the groove'62 along the leftward side of the ring 6| and then into the bottom .of the groove 62 under the ring 6| so as to act rightwardly and outwardly to hold the ring 6| against the rightward wall of the groove 62 and against the'wall surface of the member 56 forming the large bore 51. This produces a frictional engagement of the ring with the rightward wall of the groove 62 and with the sealing member 56, which frictional engagement causes the ring member 56 to rotate with the rotary part 23 in the annular recess 35.

The leftward or forward end of the ring 56 has an end face 64 to cooperate with the front end wall 40' of the stationary rightward or rearward end of the ring 56 is provided an annular face 65 in facing relation to of the cylindrical face 21 of Fluid under high pressure from the changes in temperature,

l2 of the pump l0 passes outwardly or member 33, and at the the inner portion of the rear end wall 43. The axial dimension of the ring 56, between the faces 64 and 65, is slightly less than the axial dimension between the walls 40 and 43 of the recess 35.

Outside of the annular face 65, the rearward end of the sealing ring 56-is relieved or stepped, as shown, so as to provide a radial annular face 68 confronting the wall 43 and defining an annular fluid or pressure chamber 69 which communicates With a tubular space 15 between the outer cylindrical surface of the ring member 56 and the cylindrical wall of the recess 35.

Theoperatio'n of the sealing device is as follows: Fluid under pressure from the high pressure zone l2 enters the bore 42 of the plate 36 and forces rightwardly against the leftward endof the sealing ring 56, thereby moving the sealing ring 56 rightwardly in the recess 35. The fluid under pressure then passes radially outwardly be- .tween the front end wall 40 of the recess 35 and the front face 64 of the sealing member 56, and then passes rightwardly in the annular space 15 around the sealing ring 56 to the annular pressurechamber 69 at the rightward end of the member 56, wherein it exerts a pressure leftwardly or forwardly against the sealing member 56 which'is preferably of the same size as the end face 64 of the sealing ring 56. The pressures on the ends of the sealing ring 56 now become substantially balanced, and as the fluid under pressure forces its way past the annular face 65 at the rightward end of the sealing member 56, the sealing member 56 is moved leftwardly in the recess 35 to a substantially centralized position between the end walls of the recess. The area of the sealing member 56 presented rightwardly, that is, the annular faces 65 and 68, is greater than the area presented leftwardly, annular face 64.

We have found that in a sealing device of this general type, there is a tendency for the ring member 56 to become locked on the member 23,

where the sealing device is used in a high pressure hot oil pump, this locking being caused partly by the accumulation of a carbon deposit between the wall of the bore 51 and the cylindrical face 21 of the rotary member 23, and by the great pressure with which the ring 6| is forcedoutwardly against the ring member 56 by pressure of fluid in the groove 62. With in the length of the shaft 24, with the result that the rotary member 23 is moved axially. If the member 23 cannot move relatively freelywithin carried forcibly intoengagement with an end wall of the recess 35. To prevent the locking of there is a small change namely, the

the ring member 56 on the rotary member. 23, we

have provided a means whereby a small continuous flow of fluid is conducted through the bore 5'! of. the member 56 and along the cylindrical face 21 of the rotary member 23, to perform a continuous washing actionso that the accumulation of a carbon deposit will not occur.

This effect we prefer to produce by forming shallow passages between the outer faceof the piston ring 6| and the wall of thebore 51, through which a small flow of oil may constantly pass. These shallow passages are preferably'formedby shallow grooves 10 cut in axial direction across the outer circumferential face of the piston ring 6|, as shown in Fig. 3, the depth of these grooves being only a few thousandths ofan inch, for example, approximately three thousandths, and being arcuate with lands 1| left therebetween to flow of fluid to pass continuously through the outwardly against the -..ring member 56.

' to the diameters of bore 51 of the ring member 56, the passages 10 have the additional function of reducing the pressure with which the piston ring BI is pressed The pressure of the fluid passing rightwardly through the passages 10 acts inwardly against the bottom walls of such passages, and such inward pressure partly offsets the outward pressure exerted on the piston ring 6| by fluid in the bottom of the grooves 62.

Although we have herein shown and described our invention in simple and practical form, it is recognized that certain parts or elements thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or mechanisms which may be used in substantially the same manner to accomplish substantially the same results; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the following claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A sealing device of the character described, for use with a pair of members having relative rotation, for use between a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone, including: a rotary part having a large diameter cylindrical outer face at the end thereof toward said. high pressure zone and-a small diameter cylindrical ,outer face at'the end thereof toward said low pressure zone, said cylindrical faces being connected by an intermediate annular face; a stationary member around said rotary part, said member having an annular recess facing said rotary part in a position surrounding said intermediate annular face and overlapping said cylindrical faces of said rotary part, said stationary member having a front end wall for said recess disposed toward said high pressure zone and a rear end wall for said recess disposed toward said low and a sealing ring in said recess, said sealing ring having a stepped bore corresponding in diameter at its front and rear ends said cylindrical outer faces of said rotary part, and said sealing ring having an annular front face at its forward end to cooperate with said front end wall of said recess and an annular rear face at its rearward end of substantially the same size as said rear end wall of said recess to cooperate with said rear shallow grooves across end wall of said recess, there being an annular pressure chamber formed between the rear end of said sealing ring and said rear end wall of said recess, and a passage from said pressure chamber to the forward end of said recess through which fluid that has passed the front face of said sealing ring may flow to said pressure chamber and act in said pressure chamber to force said sealing ring toward said front end wall of said recess, there being a piston ring operative between said sealing ring and said rotary part, said piston ring having shallow grooves across the outer face thereof through which fluid may pass.

2. A sealing device of the character described, for use between a high pressure zone and a low pressure zone, including: a rotary part having an outer annular face with a piston ring groove therein; a stationary member around said rotary part, having an annular recess facing said annular face of said rotary part; a sealing ring in said recess, said sealing ring closely around said annular face of said rotary part and having a rearwardly presented area greater than its forwardly presented area; and a piston ring in said piston ring groove of said rotary part adapted to engage said sealing ring and said rotary part, said piston ring having the outer face thereof through which fluid may pass in small quantity from said high pressure zone to said low pressure members; and a piston ring in said groove having a series of spaced projections in engagement with the face of said other of said members, there being spaces in the face of said piston ring from one end to the other thereof and between said projections through which fluid may pass in axial direction.

GEO. E. BIGELOW.

ARTHUR R. WEIS.

fitting relatively 

